Part Ⅲ Three Pillars of Japan’s Defense (Means to Achieve the Objectives of Defense) Strengthening and Expanding Cooperation in a Wide Range of Areas ● In order to create a desirable security environment including maintaining and enhancing free and open maritime order, and with an eye on increasing Japanese and U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan and the United States are conducting bilateral activities in such areas as “Maritime Security,” “Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief,” and “Trilateral and Multilateral Training and Exercises,” and promoting cooperation in the areas of “Defense Equipment and Technology Cooperation” and “Joint/Shared Use.” Steady Implementation of Measures Concerning the USFJ ● The presence of USFJ provides deterrence, while on the other hand, given the impacts of the stationing of the USFJ on the living environment of the local residents, it is necessary to make efforts appropriate for the actual situation of each area in order to mitigate the impacts. Stationing of the USFJ ● It is necessary to maintain the presence of the USFJ and its readiness to make rapid and agile responses in case of emergency in Japan and its surrounding areas even in peacetime, so that Japan-U.S. Alliance based on Japan–U.S. Security Arrangements provides enough as a deterrence contributing to the peace and stability of the defense of Japan and the region. ● Therefore, Japan accepts the stationing of the U.S. Forces based on the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and it is a cornerstone of Japan-U.S. Security Arrangements. Stationing of the U.S. Forces in Okinawa Changes in Number and Area of the USFJ Facilities and Areas (Exclusive Use) in Okinawa 400 353 350 Area (km2) 300 Facilities/Areas 278 249 250 242 235 185 200 144 150 100 83 46 50 0 June 1971 (At the conclusion of the Agreement on the Return of Okinawa) May 1972 (On return) End of FY1980 43 38 31 End of FY1990 SACO Final Report (1996) As of January 2020 ● Approximately 70% of USFJ facilities and areas (for exclusive use) are concentrated in Okinawa Prefecture, occupying approximately 8% of the land area of the prefecture and approximately 14% of the main island of Okinawa. Therefore, it is necessary to make utmost efforts to mitigate the impact on Okinawa, while also considering the above-mentioned security standpoints. ● Regarding distribution of functions offered by MCAS Futenma, the development of facilities is being promoted to transfer the function of accepting transient aircraft in contingencies to Tsuiki Air Base and Nyutabaru Air Base. ● For the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility, the land-fill operation has been carried out in the waters south of Camp Schwab. In April 2020, the Okinawa Defense Bureau submitted to Okinawa Prefecture an application for change of land-fill work related to addition of the work to improve the soil foundation, etc., based on the Act on Reclamation of Publicly-owned Water Surface. ● The following progress has been made involving the return of USFJ land: March 2015: West Futenma Housing Area within Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster) (approximately 51 ha) was returned. US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey flew to the Kokubudai maneuver Area, Kagawa Prefecture, for exercise (December 2019) December 2016: A major portion of the Northern Training Area (approximately 4,000 ha) was returned. This is the largest of its kind since the reversion of Okinawa to the mainland. July 2017: A portion of MCAS Futenma (approximately 4 ha along Ginowan City road 11) was returned. March 2018: A portion of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser) (approximately 3 ha of land to expand Route 58) was returned. March 2019: A portion of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser) (approximately 2 ha of land near Gate 5) was returned. March 2020: Portions of land at Camp Zukeran (Warehouse Area of Facilities and Engineering Compound) (approximately 11 ha) were returned. Stationing of the U.S. Forces in Regions Other than Okinawa ● In regions other than Okinawa, the MOD is implementing measures to secure the stable stationing of the U.S. Forces by maintaining its deterrence and trying to mitigate the impact on local communities, such as realignment of USFJ and its facilities and areas. ● As a permanent FCLP facility, in December 2019, the MOD acquired more than half of the land on Mageshima in Nishinoomote City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and is conducting various surveys in preparation for the development of SDF facilities. 31 DEFENSE OF JAPAN 2020